Liverpool are ‘a little afraid’ of any potential deal that may be conducted for Enzo Fernandez ahead of the summer window, Christian Falk wrote in his exclusive column for CaughtOffside.
The Merseysiders are understood to be keeping a close eye on the Argentine and any agreement that could set the benchmark for Jude Bellingham’s asking price.
“I heard in Liverpool that Jürgen Klopp really wants him. We call him a ‘mancatcher’ – if he wants to pursue a person, he can do that but he also has to pursue the club. I heard the club has about £200-250m that they want to spend in the summer, so there’s a good chance they get Bellingham,” the BILD reporter said.
“I heard that Liverpool are taking a good look at what is happening between Chelsea and Enzo Fernández. They’re waiting to see if someone covers his release clause (worth €127m), as it can then be used as a benchmark for Bellingham. If you see that Enzo Fernández is going for this amount of money to a club like Chelsea, everyone will say ‘okay, what is the price of Bellingham then?’ because he’s an English player and had a really good World Cup.
“It won’t be less, perhaps a little bit more because he’s English. They’re a little afraid of this potential deal and they’re keeping a close eye on whether it will affect Bellingham’s asking price. So, it’s good for Dortmund if this happens.
“A pre-agreement in January could happen, of course. Dortmund are willing to talk because they told Jude that they will. I’m not sure if Liverpool are in a position, at the moment, to make an offer because you don’t know what’s happening with the owners.
“I think they’re in front and they should bring this player to Liverpool.”
The 19-year-old is expected to set back an interested party in the region of £130m, as things currently stand, according to James Pearce at The Athletic.
That all being said, the reported collapse of Chelsea’s talks with Benfica will offer some hope of the teenager’s price-tag remaining relatively unaffected between now and the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
Bellingham’s father’s apparent interest in Liverpool as the ideal next destination for his talented son will certainly, as far as the Reds are concerned, offer a boost in confidence when it comes to the prospect of adding the England international to their ranks.
“There’s not much in the way of hope that Jude Bellingham will stay at Borussia Dortmund,” Falk explained.
“There isn’t a clause in his current contract allowing him to leave in the summer but they told him that if there’s a big opportunity for him (ultimately, he has a career plan – that’s why he came to the Bundesliga), he can do that [leave].
“They have to talk, if he wants to talk. I think they will have to talk. I noted on Twitter a few weeks ago that his father is very keen on the prospect of his boy going to Liverpool.”
The extent to which a move will be contingent on the availability of Champions League football next term remains to be seen, though Liverpool should hardly wish to roll the dice in that regard given the calibre of talent on the line.